The Beauty of Yachting in Cannes

Cannes is one of the world’s ultimate luxury yacht charter destinations. Each summer, movie stars, racing car drivers, supermodels and princes descend on this glittering Mediterranean city to indulge in the wild starlit nights and lazy sun-drenched days of the French Riviera.

Glamorous Destination

From its haute couture boutiques and dazzling casinos, to its glamorous beach clubs and chic rooftop bars, Cannes is one of the great celebrity capitals of the world, where shimmering sea and high-life hedonism come together in an irresistible explosion of A-list fun and excess. And there is certainly no better way to soak up the famed sparkle and glitter of Cannes than by superyacht.

Silver Screen Magic

Each spring during the Cannes Film Festival, silver screen royalty pose on the red carpet amidst flashing paparazzi bulbs, their jewelled couture gowns sparkling in the night. Epic superyacht parties enter the realm of film festival legend, their decks transformed into scenes of enchanted gardens and Bollywood extravaganzas, with guest lists that read like a 'Who’s Who' of the world's elite. The Cannes Festival is one of the most exclusive yacht charter opportunities on the planet, and the marina is crowded with Cannes charter yachts docked in the shadow of the Palais des Festivals.

The magic of Cannes, however, is that the celebrity buzz lingers on right through the summer, as charter yachts float along the coast to Cannes, drawn by that electric atmosphere of decadence and glitzy fun under the palms. In Cannes, Kardashians and Di Caprio sun themselves on superyachts, it-girls and supermodels totter along in sky-high heels, and billionaires and their bodyguards crowd around velvet blackjack tables.

After sunset, fireworks light up the facades of the grand art deco hotels, whose opulent lobbies throw out golden circles of light across the Croisette, and low, sleek supercars cruise along the streets with a throaty rumble. Even the cars gather a crowd here in Cannes, heads turning to see a diamond-dust-coated Koeninsegg here, a Ferrari La Ferrari there. As the night wears on and the champagne flows, the music gets louder and inhibitions drift away on the warm evening breeze. Cannes is one of the biggest party towns in Europe, with super clubs and big name DJs ramping up the atmosphere to a roaring crowd.

There is a frisson of excitement in the air in Cannes in the long summer that builds almost to breaking point in the long, hot nights by a moonlit sea.

Party Town… and Tranquil Paradise

For all its glitter and glam, the true beauty of yachting in Cannes is its versatility - that you can be dancing with wild abandon among the beautiful people until sunrise, yet wake up the next morning in the tranquil paradise of the Cannes islands, soothing the excesses of the night before with a dive off the swim platform to float in the cool, crystal clear waters.

Cannes is surrounded by ancient Mediterranean beauty. Flowery medieval villages perch in the cool hills behind the coast, their cobbled lanes lined with art galleries and shady restaurant terraces, with breathtaking views of the distant sea. Within a stone’s throw of Cannes, you can explore the gastronomic delights of Mougins or the famous perfumeries of Grasse, while deeper in Provence lie the undulating lavender fields of the Lubéron and the magnificent wild Gorges du Verdon. Cannes is a place of glamour, certainly. But that is far from all there is to this jewel on the Riviera, where beauty and adventure lie in every direction.

A Perfect Day on a Superyacht in Cannes

After a delicious breakfast on deck, yacht guests play on the watertoys, soaring above the water on a Flyboard, racing around the yacht on a jetski, or launching down the yacht’s waterslide into the deep blue sea.

Lunch is taken ashore at the Michelin-starred Park 45 in the lush gardens of the Grand Hotel, or at a table on the soft sand at one of Cannes’ glamorous beach clubs such as Z-Plage at Hotel Martinez.

A happy afternoon is spent shopping in Cannes’ flagship boutiques along the Croisette - dropping into Chanel, Cartier, and Armani along the way - before adjourning to the ultra-luxury day spa at Radisson Blu or the Carlton Intercontinental for a blissful massage or caviar facial.

Late afternoon is time to return to the yacht to get dressed up and enjoy cocktails and canapés on the sundeck, before stepping ashore to one of Cannes’ beautiful rooftop bars for sunset - either the superb 360 at the Radisson for breathtaking views across the Bay of Cannes, or to Five Senses' rooftop bar and infinity pool.

For dinner, the options are endless in Cannes. But the most sought after table in town is undeniably the Palme d’Or, which was awarded two Michelin stars in 1991 and has never lost them.

To keep the party going, head to La Chunga, a live music venue that just gets wilder as the night wears on, before heading on to exclusive Baoli or to super-club Gotha with its DJ line-up and writhing crowd, to welcome the coming of dawn.

The Beauty of Yachting in Cannes

On a Cannes luxury yacht charter, you cannot help but feel like you’re among the lights, cameras and action of the world. But it is the stunning backdrop to this place - the cobalt blue sea, the forested mountains, the sleepy, lost-in-time islands - that draws the world’s superyachts back to Cannes’ sandy shores each summer.

Whether you’re contemplating this town for a luxury boat rental for the day or as part of a leisurely charter along the Riviera, the simple truth is that Cannes can only be properly experienced by yacht. The beauty of Cannes is the beauty of yachting; the two cannot be separated.

To find out more about booking your Cannes charter yacht, contact the French Riviera experts at bluewater.

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About the author

Jo Morgan is an Australian freelance writer and editor specialising in fresh, authentic writing about luxury yachts and travel. With a background as superyacht crew and later as a journalist and editor in yachting media, Jo launched Jo Morgan Writing - Yachts & Travel in 2014, and now creates high-quality content for a wide range of yachting clients, luxury blogs, and travel guides.